Anapeno
by Rhiannon5
Summary: It's been two years after Hogwarts a year after the demise of Voldemort and all that's left are the warriors, the survivors and the space between the ending and the new beginnings.
1. Prologue

**ME: **so... this is my fiirst Harry Potter fic... and I just thought I'd share. This is written for my friend Hannah who absolutely loves Harry/Draco, Draco/Harry... so here it is:

**Anapneo **

Greek for "breathe". Clears the airways of the person who the spell is cast upon, allowing them to breathe properly.

Prologue

It was a beautiful sight, the lapping waves. The lighthouse spinning its light in the early sunset as the sea salt clung to everything from his dark, dark hair to his somber black robes. He was a tall sentry in this place, staring out into the beckoning sea. In this place so many things seemed so far away. He'd had been going in and out of the muggle world along with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger to find Serverus Snape who was said to have fled the wizarding world . The couple was up at the small inn waiting for him to join them for diner. He closed his eyes in an attempt to not remember the things he'd given up. Or the people he cared about that he'd lost.

It was a peculiar thing to be the boy that lived. To bear the lightening scar at the very center of his forehead over the place of his so called third eye. He could see in the far off horizon that a storm was coming as he turned and walked back up to the inn wondering when their next excursion into the muggle world would happen. He turned away from the lighthouse and the beach and made his way back up to the little inn. Tomorrow they would go and visit the Weasleys and maybe even seen other members of the Order of the Phoenix. He greatly missed Tonks and Lupin and Hagrid and Neville. But not as much as he missed the others that never returned, Dumbledore and Black.

Hermione sat in the parlor by herself with a large thick book on transmutation spells and Ron was across the room speaking on the phone, probably with one of the twins discussing the ins and outs of peculiar characters on Diagon Alley. Twenty years of age seemed too young for them. He sat at the small table and laid his head on it.

"Bloody 'ell! You can't be serious!" Ron shouted and they both looked up to see him staring at the phone almost as if it were about to sprout wings before he brought it back to his ear to appease the shouting person.

"I understand Luna. Yes… Please, it's of no business of yours. Just go home! No! Mione and Harry are fine. Yes. Yes. Goodbye Luna." Ron shook his head and hung up the phone.

"What did Luna have to say?" Hermione asked as she placed a thin bit of cloth in her book and shut it.

"Excuse me but… Loony Lovegood… Ah! Don't look at me like that! She's in America and she's found some things that point that Snape and Malfoy have fled back into the wizarding world."

"Fled? Back to the Wizarding world?" Hermione leaned forward, unruly hair falling over her shoulders.

"Well… yes. It seems that due to the fact that Lucius Malfoy is on his deathbed that Snape is taking him for the will reading." Ron moved forward and sat down at the table with Harry. "We should go."

"No… it will be a sensitive moment. His mother is already dead and now this." Hermione stated. "We should let them alone."

"And then they will flee again and we still will have not gotten them." Harry pointed out.

"I know but…"

"Think with your mind Mione… which would you rather have we give them this time and we loose them? If Voldemort's sympathizers find them before we do…" Harry let it trail and the girl no woman sighed deeply.

"You're right… It's just… His father's dying."

"I know." Harry got up from his seat. "A little bit of dinner sounds good. Why don't we do that and get some sleep before we go back to England?"

"I do agree." Ron murmured and got up to walk with him.

"Boys..." Hermione whispered her eyes stuck on the coming sea storm.

"What is it Hermione?" Harry asked turning and then could only stare with her.

Outside, shining against the coming storm was a large magical sign in the sky. It was of a dead phoenix. Ron was the last to turn, the last to look but the first one to speak.

"Well that bloody well can't be good." He murmured and turned to his friends. "You're the Auror and you're the brains… What does that mean?"

"I-It means…" Hermione trailed off but Harry picked up where she left off.

"It means that something has happened at Sirius Black's home. Something involving death and rebirth."

"How can you be so sure that it's at Sirius' house?" Ron asked face scrunched in confusion.

"Because it was so obviously a member of the Order of the Phoenix." Hermione whispered. "We've got to get back to England."


	2. Chapter 1

Well... here is the second part of my HP fic... still don't really have much to say.. so here:

Chapter 1

At the former home of the deceased Sirius Black where the Order of the Phoenix had its home base, someone had died. But not in the way that our three young heroes had thought. In fact the person who died could not even begin to be seen as a member of the Order but they gave their life just the same. For all sad and sundry Cho Chang had stumbled upon Peter Pettigrew of all people and had managed to not only kill the cowardly rat like man but with the combined power of Nymphadora Tonks had managed to save the life of one strong willed and determined Ginny Weasley.

Ginny sighed deeply as she sat sipping tea, her freshly healed wounds feeling rather scratchy and tight. She willed calm to deaden her shaking as her elders sat around her, for she was the youngest member of the Order and it was of course natural that they feel the need to protect her. She pressed a hand to her forehead and looked over the rim of her cup at Minerva McGonagall.

"He was after the information that we had on the Malfoys. Word of Lucius must have spread."

"That is what we feared." McGonagall murmured as she sipped at her own tea. "What is left of the Death Eaters will either want Draco as a figure head or…"

"As proof of how powerful they are." Ginny sighed deeply as Tonks poured her another cup of tea. "They know that Draco was too afraid to kill Dumbledore that night, his one true order for the Dark Lord. They are probably anxious and angry."

"I know." McGonagall sighed. "I know… It seems like only yesterday that I watched you all as my students, just learning magic. And now…"

"And now we are warriors." Ginny took another firm sip of her tea. "I'm lucky to be alive."

"That you are." Tonks murmured as she stopped twittering around, her hair a solemn green for the occasion. "Do not waste it."

"I plan not to." She tapped her tongue against the room of her mouth. "When they realize that Peter Pettigrew is finally dead they will retaliate."

"Are you sure you aren't already an Auror?" Tonks asked with a little smile.

"I don't know what I am anymore I must admit." She sighed softly. "Where is Cho?"

"She's with Lupin getting her stomach settled. Poor girl." McGonagall sighed. "It was not something she ever expected to have to do."

Ginny nodded and set down her tea cup, the shaking in her hands had finally receded and her mind didn't feel as static-y as before. She patted down her skirt and then stood to remove the tea cups.

"Surely you should—"

"Please Nymphadora… I need something to steady my hands and mind." Ginny murmured as she turned on the water and methodically washed them. "I'll be fine."

"The Weasleys are made of tough stuff they are." Hagrid murmured as he led Cho into the small room.

The small Asian woman was a little pale and a bit shaky but mostly she was fine. Her eyes had lost the haunted look that Tonks had seen when they'd apprehended Pettigrew and saw the extent of Ginny's wounds. She accepted the tea gratefully but didn't drink it. The warmth filled her hands and slowly the shaking began to stop. Ginny sat down beside the slightly older woman and smiled thinly at her.

"I'm fine Cho… It's all right."

"I guess I just never realized how much of a dangerous business this was until I was confronted with it. I guess that's why I'm the one who isn't really involved." She took another deep breath. "I really must be getting back home. I'm not sure Li will be happy at how late I am."

"Are you sure?" Tonks asked quietly.

"Quite positive." Cho smiled brightly. "Take care, all of you."

The Asian witch slowly stood after a few moments and gathered her brightly colored robe and broom before she gave another thin smile and left to head home. McGonagall stared after her fretfully but shook herself and careful collected Cho's cup and put it away.

"Well I never!" Molly Weasley's voice thundered through the hollows of the house causing the three women to turn.

"Mum?" Ginny called as she stood up.

"This is right proper madness!" The woman continued to mutter as she entered the room hand clutched to her chest followed by her rather feisty daughter-in-law Fleur.

"It is only madness because you think it so." Fleur muttered as she followed the woman inside. "If Bill wasn't so instant I would not have come."

"What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall asked and Ginny was immediately transported back to Hogwarts where the Professor was yelling in class at some student or another.

"It is about Monsieur Snape." Fleur Weasley stated as she sat primly at the table and Ginny resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

It was not that Ginny disliked Fleur and often admired the admittedly beautiful woman, but she was often so at odds with her mother that Ginny didn't bother to use facts to choose sides but simply decided that both women were only happy when they were arguing.

"And what about Snape?" Ginny asked quickly, knowing that Tonks or McGonagall would rather speak of the unfortunate events of earlier that night. After all, she could only hope that her mother had not seen the dead phoenix in the sky.

"He is… Well…" Molly tried once and again to say something before Fleur cut her off with a toss of her head.

"Snape was injured protecting Draco Malfoy and Bill is attending his wounds."

"You mean to tell me that Snape willingly searched you out?" McGonagall asked with something that would have been disbelief if it had been someone else.

"Of course not. Charlie found them hiding in Romania near a dragon's nest and sent them to us. Considering that you are hunting for them I thought it would be best to inform you." She sent them a pleading look. "Bill and I are not sure of how long we can hide them. It would be safer for them to be with you."

"Transporting them will be dangerous." McGonagall stated.

"I'll do it." Ginny stated firmly.

"I don't think—"

"I'll do it Mum." Ginny cut her off with a solid glare that reminded her exactly of how old Ginny was and what she was capable of. "I want you to make sure that Dad isn't worried. Tonks if you would be so kind as to get in touch with Ron so that they can return here faster."

"All right." Tonks murmured standing, though Ginny was the youngest much like Harry she was a natural born leader mostly running the home base of the Order. "McGonagall, would you please give Fleur ad Mum a some tea and make sure they're comfortable before you have to go back to Hogwarts?"

"I will." The older woman murmured as she stood to put on another pot of tea.

"I should be back before sunrise." She pulled her cloak on over her shoulders.

"Ginny…" Molly Weasley stood and walked over to her youngest child, her only daughter. "Be careful."

"I always am Mum." Ginny left in a flurry of movement.

Due to the fact that both Bill and Fleur Weasley worked at Gringrotts Wizard Bank on Diagon Alley that they would be living close. She shifted through the busy market place and into the places beyond heading for the small home that her eldest brother and his wife currently lived in. She found the small house at the end of the turnpike about a mile from Diagon and knocked on the door. She heard a bit of stirring inside and then the door was thrown open by her older brother who threw his arms around her tight.

"Why 'ello Ginny!" He ushered her inside.

"It's always good to see you Bill." She murmured gently pushing his arm off. "I've come here on business though."

"Ah, so you came for the packages." He asked as he picked up his cup of probably some kind of alcohol.

"Yes… what is the state of them?" She crossed her arms and studied him.

"One is very fragile… but the other should give you no problems."

"Is the first one to fragile to move? I'm not sure how well I'd do with flimsy crystal." She retorted as she picked up one his souvenirs from his curse breaking days and studied.

"Not quite that flimsy my dear. This is real crystal. I would never give you anything fake." He stated quite firmly and she nodded.

"How big are the packages? Mum didn't tell me."

"Not too big for you to take with you. Shrinking spell."

"Is that safe?"

"I took every precaution. I promise." He tugged at a lock of her bright red hair. "You'll be needing to leave soon won't you? Let me get the package."

He stepped out of the room and Ginny put the trinket down. Her body and mind were hyper aware of her surroundings as she waited for him. She looked to the windows before turning to face the hallway he'd disappeared down. He came back with a rather small box with holes in the top of it.

"Be careful of the holes. Other then that, you should have no trouble at all. But I warn you, the spell will only last until midnight."

"Then I have plenty of time." She smiled at him and gave him a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I told Fleur and Mum to rest a moment. I'll make sure they don't kill each other."

"God bless ya for that one." He murmured as she turned and walked out of the door disappearing into the night. "You grew up so fast Ginny."

Though to much of family the circumstances of Ginny Weasley's speedy childhood and insertion into adulthood seemed confusing, it is obvious that the transformation was aided by many, many circumstances. The biggest being used by Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort that had stung much of the childish naivety out of her, as well as the abruptly short war like happenings of her final year at Hogwarts where she herself among others had looked the Dark Lord in the eye, had seen him brandish his wand and lived.

Though the tale The Boy that Lived was what drew many people to Harry Potter, it was those that lived beside him through dark magic and stunning odds that made them those that that became apart of the life of The Boy that Lived instead of the seeming bystander that many had become only living vicariously through tales of his efforts as apposed to those that had many such horrifying tales of their own. Ginny often dreamed of a basilisk but she never spoke of that to anyone.

-

Thanks for reading


	3. Chapter 2

So... I kinda ran away for a while... but hey! two chapters!

Chapter 2

Harry ran his hands through his unruly dark locks as he saw in his line of vision the home of the Order of the Phoenix. In the sky, the dead phoenix still shown brightly and he was remind of being in Hogwarts in Dumbledore's office but he brushed those thoughts away as Ron parked the car on the street and they three of them climbed out and headed towards the door.

"Mum is probably there bustling around and giving Ginny hell like she always does." Ron murmured as he came to stand in front of the door.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him before she spoke the incantation that led them into the wizard house and they entered carefully and Ron called out for anyone to show up and was greeted by the beautiful Fleur who nodded at them before turning about face and heading towards the kitchen.

"Bloody hell… It's worst then I thought." Ron muttered slapping his palm against his head.

"Oh shut up." Harry muttered before they entered the kitchen and Molly swept around collecting their robes.

They sat around the table in various stages of silence, no one really willing to break it. Harry noticed that other then Fleur and Mrs. Weasley that Tonks and McGonagall were also present but there was no sign of Ginny who was supposed to be controlling the base. No one seemed too inclined to say anything. Tonks hair had become Slytherian green and the lines on McGonagall's face had become more pronounced. The house was rather empty around this time, school was about to start and many of the older members were teachers and had to start getting back to Hogwarts or were working depending on the member.

The silence got to Harry.

"Where's Ginny?" He asked as he highlighted their faces with his eyes.

"She'll be along soon." McGonagall murmured quietly and then stood. "If you're excuse me, I was due at Hogwarts hours ago. It's not easy being Headmaster."

"Goodbye McGonagall." Harry inclined his head as did Ron. Hermione got up and hugged the older woman before she slipped out of the room. Harry could feel the silence creep back up as the sound of the old witch's robes began to fade.

"Why is there a magic sign of a dead phoenix in the sky?" He looked at Tonks and the woman looked away before she sighed deeply and sat down with a huff.

"Peter Pettigrew was here. And he managed to attack Ginny." She held up her hand at the protesting looks of Ron, Molly and Harry. "He would have killed her if it weren't for Cho. We were almost too late to save Ginny and so we did the Phoenix Spell. And thus Pettigrew is finally dead and Ginny is perfectly fine."

"That doesn't explain where my sister is!" Ron bit off fingers pressed firmly into the wood of the table, probably to keep himself from going for his wand.

"I'm right here." Ginny murmured as she appeared through the door of the room, soot covering the bottoms of her robe. "I had to pick up a package."

"What kind of package?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"A special one." She looked pointedly at Fleur and Mrs. Weasley. "Explain." Before she turned and walked away towards the bowels of the home.

"YOU DID WHAT!" Ron's voice thundered through out the home causing both his mother as well as Fleur to wince and look slightly ashamed of themselves. "At not point in time did you think to contact us when you knew where they were and knew we were searching for them? How long have they being stay with you and Bill?"

"Almost a month. Monsieur Snape's wounds were very serious."

"And do you realize how much danger you placed all of yourselves in?" He asked crossing his arms and glaring soundly at them.

"Ginny…"

"I agree with him Mum. The Death Eaters are searching diligently for them and you put everyone there in danger."

"And then what is this place if Peter Pettigrew got in here and attacked you!" Mrs. Weasley finally ground out.

"As safe as it can be. As of right now there is a rotation of at least two Aurors here. And Ron and Hermione are well trained in fighting dark wizards as well. It's not that we don't trust you Mum or you and Bill Fleur but that was a stupid risk on all of your parts." Ginny took off her robe and laid it on the chair. "Harry… we should call a meeting of the Order and it should be soon."

"How are Snape and Draco?" He asked after nodding his agreement.

"Snape is sleeping off the remaining ties of a torture spell and Draco simply has a broken arm. Anything else is superficial." She crossed her legs. "There seems to be nothing else that we can do but wait."

"We've grown good at that." Hermione murmured as Ron shook his head and finally sat down.

"Mum… Fleur… I'm sorry for yelling but…"

"I know dear." Molly Weasley told her battle worn son. "I know."

Ron nodded and sat back in his chair, running a hand through his longish shock of red hair. He shifted slightly and spoke. "You do realize that you two will have to be gone before this meeting happens don't you?"

"Why?" Fleur asked definitely. "We are as much a part of this Order as you are."

"No… You aren't." Ginny spoke for her brother but took a step back when Ron held up his hand.

"Mum… what happens with Draco Malfoy and Serveus Snape is none of your business. I don't want to be gruff with either of you. But believe me when I say it would be best if you two are gone. The less people the better."

"I assume that that loony girl will be here." Fleur murmured.

"Luna is very valuable." Harry stated quite firmly. "Look… there is no other way to put this. We don't need you for this. It is rude I know, but we will not put the two of you in any more danger then you have put yourselves in."

"Ron and Ginny are my children."

"And Ginny is almost a full-fledged Auror. Ron is a brilliant strategist and if it weren't for him many of us still wouldn't be here. They are very important to anything that this Order does and I must ask that you let them be what they are Mrs. Weasley… Adults." Hermione murmured taking the older woman's hand.

"You don't have kids love… you couldn't possible understand." Mrs. Weasley stated pulling her hand away from Hermione.

"Bloody Hell and hag's breath Mum… Don't get your knickers into a twist! You let us got to war after all with less fuss." Ron pointed out; face red as his temper shot. "Get off it."

Looking rather put out Mrs. Weasley stood. "Fine. Excuse me but I must be getting home. Fleur."

"I do not understand any of you. You would still be searching for Draco and Snape if it wasn't for us!"

"And where would you be if the Death Eaters had gotten wind of them staying with you?" Ginny retorted her mouth small and narrow; her temper was getting close as well.

"Fleur." Mrs. Weasley called and the two women left.

"Tonks… would you get in touch with the twins? Ron, you can get Luna and Neville… Maybe we could get Lee to help?"

"So you want only Dumbledore's Army involved?" A new voice asked with a little laugh.

"Lupin." Harry murmured as the skinny man walked in, Remus Lupin had seen many better days, the war having got to him and his already gaunt figure had seemed to get thinner. Through the Ministry though, he had hire honors during the short 'war' with Voldemort and had become dedicated to the new ways of the Order rather quickly.

"Not particularly. But with the attacks on Ireland and uprisings in Scandinavia we'd be hard pressed to get much of the Order on the cause of Draco and Snape that wasn't before." Hermione pointed out.

"This is true, very true." Lupin murmured crossing his arms.

"Then that just leaves us with getting everyone together."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Draco Malfoy was in a right snit with the world and God himself. He sat on a shambled old bed with his arm in a splint because that stupid Weasley brat didn't know any bone mending spells. In the other bed, the one that was a smidge better then the one he resided on lay his protector. Serveus Snape, who looked much worse for wear, but better then he had a few days ago. Snape was asleep, not afraid and actually knew where they were. He had mumbled something about the Order of the Phoenix before he fell asleep before the muggle medicine he'd been taking kicked in and put him to sleep.

And it was in the loneliness of the dark room that Draco Malfoy admitted he was afraid. Who ever it was that was after them was angry and out to get them. Snape was convinced that they wanted to kill them, and really Snape's word was good enough for him. Last time though, they'd come too close. Breaking Draco's arm with blunt force of a flying tree limb and the strange torture spell that inhibited Snape and occasional broke his bones. He had been on the run with Snape for almost two and a half years now. Since Voldemort had been told that Draco hadn't killed Dumbledore but Snape had. It seemed the ultimate proof of loyalty on Snape's part but then Bellatrix was it? Had created and built and nurtured the paranoid disease in Voldemort's mind that Snape had killed Voldemort to save Draco and get close enough to Voldemort to kill i>him /i>. And worse yet, thought that they were in league with Harry Potter of all people.

All though, Draco thought with a snort as he shifted on the old bed, they were now. It's amazing what two years on the run could do to you. They were completely outlaws in the wizarding world. The Death Eaters wanted them dead for the supposed 'betrayal' that Bellatix had built up to the point that when Harry Potter the Auror and his team of Dark Wizard fighters had killed Voldemort it must have been his and Snape's fault. Even if they were half way across the world.

Snape moaned in his sleep, breath labored and Draco felt sorry for the older man. It had been his fault that Snape had been drove to this. If he had had the bravery to kill Dumbledore then Snape would still beheld in good thoughts in more of this… Order of the Phoenix then Headmistress McGonagall. And yet, even as he thought that he wondered if it were true? After all, here they were in the home base of the Order not as prisoners and most definitely getting aid. Ginny Weasley had carefully checked over the wounds while mumbling to herself about reckless endangerment and assured Snape that the muggle medicine would do him good before she left with a sharp turn, her black robes spinning behind her.

"Malfoy?" He looked to the door to see his archrival, if they could still be considered as such Harry Potter.

He didn't look much different, older yes, stronger and the scar was a pale white that would have faded if the boy had a lighter complexion. He wore jeans and a black jumper, casual leaning against the door eye highlighting the changes in Draco's face.

"Potter." He returned with a curt nod. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

"Three years and a handful of days." Harry murmured as he walked further into the room and pulled up a chair.

"I would have thought you of all people would have had us killed on sight."

"Things change. I was angry after all, Dumbledore meant a lot to me." Harry crossed his arms and Draco nodded. "But that's not why I'm here."

"Then why? Have you finally decided what punishment you'll give us?"

"No one here is going to punish either you or Snape. Snape is a member of the Order of the Phoenix and was doing his job. Which was to protect you on the orders of your mother. Dumbledore knew. He believed in Snape."

"Well that explains Snape's out. What's mine."

"America has made you crass. You're here because McGonagall believed that there was something to you worth saving and something special about you considering the reactions of Voldemort and the Death Eaters to you."

"Well, I can't help you there."

"Well I want to believe in you. You've never actually committed a crime. We can get you amnesty through the Ministry of Magic."

"And then what would happen to me?" He asked as he looked up at Harry.

"You would join the Order of the Phoenix. We could use another person who knows the ways of the Death Eaters."

"So I become a traitor."

"Draco… Damnit Draco this isn't like that! This is about who you are! Stop being such a follower! The Death Eaters want more then just i>purification /i> and hell, Voldemort was a i>mudblood /i>! Get your head out of your arse and consider your real options." Harry stood up, not furious but adamant. "We can't help you until you know what you want."

Draco watched Harry walk away and he realized that while others got the option of walking away, Draco had always been running for his life. Who was he without the shadow of Lucius Malfoy to protect him? Was he Draco the Death Eater, loyal follower of Voldemort… or someone else?

It was morning, Draco could tell that much from the sun creeping through the windows like a serpent over Snape's prone body and into his eyes. It was well after sunrise, he noted as he sat up and rubbed his arm, splint gone. Whoever had decided to heal him was good. He wandered over to Snape and noticed that his wounds had mostly been healed as well. He studied the pale sleeping man a bit more before he shrugged and decided to see exactly how much leeway he had.

He pushed at the door which came open without so much as a squeak and tiptoed into the long hallway to see no one around. Looking up and down the hallway, he chose right and found the bathroom, which he used rather quickly and then further to find a living room. He found another room as was about to enter when a voice spoke behind him.

"If it isn't one of the men of the hour!" He jumped around, hand reaching for a wand that wasn't there, curse him for leaving it in the room! The woman standing before him was thin, rather athletic looking with pink hair, like the shade in the sunrise.

"Who are you!" He was surely white with fright that much he knew.

"Nymphadora Tonks at your service!" She stated with a funny little bow and he nodded.

"You're… an Auror."

"That I am." She winked at him. "Let's get some food in you."

He nodded, slightly fearful of what might happen if he refused. She gestured him into the kitchen and to sit at the table.

"Not much of a cook myself, but I can do breakfast. Wotcher Harry, Mione!" She called and Draco found himself face to face with Harry again, only this time with his female side kick.

"Good morning Draco." Hermione murmured as she sat in her chair, prim and proper.

Harry merely nodded at him and collapsed in the chair. Draco could only look on in wonder. They should be after him, ready to kill him in the name of Dumbledore. Not treating him almost like one of their own. He shook his head and decided that he would simply be pliant and ready. The other shoe had to fall sometime.

"And how is Snape?" Harry finally spoke as Ginny entered.

"Good. You still do excellent work on healing Hermione."

"Hermione excels in everything." Harry muttered playful and Hermione hit him in the shoulder.

Almost like brother and sister, Draco mused. He still didn't quite understand where he fit into all this, but he figured that he could suspend belief if that meant that maybe, just for a little while he'd be safe. They were halfway through their meal when Ron Weasley emerged and Draco had to hold to almost hold in his breath to keep back all the old comments for a childhood that seem far to far away. Ron was wearing what was obiviously one of Mrs. Weasley's concoctions of a sweater and ratty old jeans that were probably hand-me-downs from one of his many brothers. He slumped bleary eyed into a chair and Hermione immediately got up to place coffee in front of him.

"I got a brilliant idea this morning." He murmured into his coffee.

"Give me a minute." Hermione spoke getting up and getting a rather thick and messy looking notebook.

Draco was quiet surprised to listen to Ron make a very convincing battle strategy. He could decided whether the boy was completely bonkers or a strategic genius when he started listing from what Draco assumed were previous battles on how to improve old strategies and incorporate them into this new one, that just came to him.

"What happened to you all?" He asked staring at them.

"Happen? Nothing happened." Ron muttered snorting. "Unless you count Voldemort nearly killing us and the mini 'altercation' that happened not too long ago."

"Altercation?" Draco could feel his eyebrow curling up in confusion.

"That is what the Ministry of Magic calls the 'small' war against Voldemort…Rufus Scrimgeour, is quite angered that we took the initiative in fighting Voldemort while he tried to make it look convincing that the Ministry was doing something by making occasional arrest while turning up nothing. Frankly, he took part in none of the fighting and saw the final blow struck along with many others and since he could not claim it for himself or anyone that well… siding unquestionably with the Ministry he tried to downplay it." Hermione stated quietly.

"Well it's not like we could sit by while he arrested innocent wizard and witches simply because they were slightly suspicious or odd and didn't have any purchase in the Ministry." Ron mumbled. "Almost arrested my Dad he did. Idiot."

"And what about my father?" Draco asked studying their faces.

"Scrimgeour saw no reason to arrest him. Supposedly 'couldn't prove' he was apart of it, though he never proved any of the other people he arrested." Harry snorted. "He did little better then Fudge in the long run, though at least he didn't ignore the problem."

"Speaking of the older Malfoy… would you like to visit him?" Ginny asked finally speaking again.

"I don't know." Draco admitted quietly.

"We think it would be best if you did. He is… dying." Hermione whispered.

"And how will I get there? What about Snape?"

"We're going to be having a meeting about that tonight. This place probably isn't as safe as it use to be if Peter Pettigrew found it… but we'll do what we can." Ginny stated firmly. "We're stretched a bit thin right now, and some of us do have… other callings but as much as Harry has been know to defy the Ministry as well as McGonagall we should have no problems."

Draco nodded, as satisfied as he could be with the answer. After all, they obviously weren't planning to kill them. And he was sure there was no way he could take on a room half full of Aurors, a highly talented witch and a iffy-but brilliant strategist. He wondered if Ron had the fighting ability to back up the brains but decided to not to ask. They'd fought a war this group and he was sure that he was outclassed by ever single one of them.


	5. Chapter 4

So, I checked my stats today... and saw quite an interesting number... I'm glad that people are reading it and whatever... Never been much of a stickler for reviews. So here for any and all who are reading it regardless:

Chapter 4

Ginny Weasley sat on the back porch with an expectant look on her face. A large chuck of those who still called themselves Dumbledore's Army out of respect for the man that had deeply touched their lives were soon to be here. Some she hadn't seen in weeks or months or even a year or so. The first to appear where the twins, her older brothers Fred and George, long red hair tucked behind their ears and manic grins on their faces. The both climbed on the porch and she gave them each a hug and a kiss.

"It's good to see you." She murmured.

"'Course." Fred said with a mischievous grin.

The twins had grown up quite a bit though it seemed to the contrary by their joke shop and almost child-like antics. But she knew more then anything that they were the sort you could trust your life with. They knew when to be serious. They were the best at what they did and had many honors for joke inventions that they had transformed in to weaponry during the fight against Voldemort.

"We've got a new toy for you." George stated as he pulled a box out of his pocket.

"What is it this time?" She asked with a little smile.

"Listening device better then the spells." Fred stated.

"Oh?" She asked studying the small pendant and gem.

"When someone wears the pendent the pendant they become the only one that can see the gem. And they become the receiver of any and all sound it receives. We should have some more…" George began.

"…interesting toys later though. We plan to take a little trip to the muggle word and see what we can find to baffle those Death Eaters." And Fred finished.

She laughed softly and ushered them inside. "I'm sure Ron has some ideas he'd like to throw your way."

"Yeah… who knew that age would actually make him interesting?" Fred laughed as he followed his twin inside.

Ginny shook her head as turned back towards the yard. Two down, three to go.

The meeting of the eight fellows of the old Dumbledore's Army that had joined the Order was something to be beheld. They were young men and women, most only a year or two out of Hogwarts but, they're accomplishments were amazments and wonders in themselves. Their unspoken leaders were Harry of course and Ginny Weasley, their most trusted and their fiercest. They were a good team the eight of them together, and in various groups. Harry looked around the parlor at them all and sighed as he often did, wondering about the things that Voldemort had taken from them.

"So you finally found Draco. I assume that's why you called us?" Neville Longbottom, the son of two well respected Aurors and a well trained wizard in his own right, though reluctant asked.

"Well, yes." Hermione stated. "And consider the state… we thought it best to deal with it this way. On our terms."

"Well… sounds like a plan." Lee stated as he stood and got himself some tea. "Speaking 'o which… Where is Draco and Snape?"

"Snape is sleeping off the last of a spell and Draco you'll see later." Hermione whispered demurely.

"So what shall we do?" Fred asked cracking his knuckles.

"My plan is this.." Ron began. "We'll split up Snape and Draco as soon as they are good and ready for travel. Luna, you'll take Snape back to America and work with Neville and Lee on keeping him safe. Get whatever information that you can get out of him on the Death Eaters and why they're after them. All information, even the stuff we know. Work with him on this, he is still a member of the Order, treat him like one."

"I can do that." Luna nodded her pale eye studying Ron carefully, as she processed her mission quickly.

"Fred and George, you'll run contacts between both parties… You are the center point working with Ginny. You Ginny will search out information. The Ministry, any Death Eaters that are in custody and word on the street. And finish your Auror training. Harry, Mione and I will take Draco into the French country side. I talked to Fleur and there is a family summer home that we can use. Tonks will take over home base. The biggest part for you three." He pointed at his siblings. "Is that if either team needs help, you're it. Got it?"

"Yes." They nodded and the conversation settled down into the best way to execute transportation and the best way to deal with problems that might arrive.

"I think that those of us going to America shall use… a airplane." Luna stated quietly.

"Aw… I hate those things." Lee muttered.

"Neville, would you ride the plane with Snape and I? It would be safer surrounded by muggles. The death eaters would not suspect that we would slip into the muggle world to travel from one place to the other."

"She has a point. And it might do Snape a bit of good to ride that way."

"I highly doubt Snape would like it." Draco drawled from the door.

It had been a long time since he'd seen most of the new people assembled in the room before him. Whiny Longbottom and Loony Lovegood. Or the dumb Weasley twins and of all things Lee Jordan whom he never had a sufficient nickname for. He struggled for the first names and mentally pointed at them. Luna, Neville, Fred and George… or was it George and Fred. He could never understand how anyone could tell them apart.

"What Snape likes isn't as important as his life." Hermione snapped and gave him a glare.

"I figured as much." Draco shrugged and stepped forward. "Do you really think this plan is going to work?"

"It will." Ron stated. "It has all of the needed requirements. And trust me Draco… you'll be in good hands."

"Do you have your wand?" Lee asked looking him over.

"It's broken." He stated quite plainly, which wasn't a lie. He'd shattered it the day that Voldemort had betrayed him because of Bellatrix.

"You'll be needing a new one." Luna stated quite firmly. "Everyone must be able to fight."

"Fight? I've survived this long without a wand. Two years to be exact." He pointed out.

"With Snape protecting you." Fred or was it George that pointed it out. "It would be…"

"…best to get you a new one." The other finished and Draco shook his head, they even finished each other's sentences. Maybe one held the left part of the brain and the other the right and that was how they made on person.

"I can get arranged before you leave." Ginny murmured. "A few people on Diagon owe me a favor or two… particularly a wand dealer."

"And come by the joke shop while you're there won't you? Fred and I'll have something for you." George obviously spoke.

"Oh?" Ginny looked at them as did the others, their attention drawn to their 'mad scientists.'

"George and I have been fiddling around with hoax charms."

"The prank ones that the first and second years like to use. Except…"

"… You'll be able to do quite a bit more with these. Magic inhibiting cages…"

"… wand eating plants and hand trapping boxes. We're also working on one…"

"… that steals voices to prevent spells from being cast." Fred finished and unsurprisingly only Draco was confused by the end of it.

"I must say you two are moving to outdo yourselves." Lee laughed.

"Some of that sounds a bit too dangerous. Wand eating plants?" Luna asked her head tilting to the side.

"'t's an illusion! It swallows the wand whole. No breaks. Only the caster of the spell can retrieve the wand or… wands if we get it just right." Draco was surprised whichever twin it was said so many sentences by himself.

"Nothing's permanent. We test these things very carefully."

"And nearly blow up your home at least once a week." Hermione muttered.

"It's a sacrifice we're willing to make." They both said at the same time.

Draco stared at them itching to ask the question in the back of his mind before he finally gave up and spoke. "Were you… Were you the ones that killed Voldemort?"


	6. Chapter 5

**Drum roll please! Here's the next part!**

Chapter 5

"Well…" Harry looked around at the others. No one had ever asked anything like that. The whole world knew and often asked much more personal questions.

"Hagrid was there if I remember correctly." Luna supplied.

"I wasn't there… I got waylaid by a trap." Lee provided.

"Minus Lee we were all there." George or was it Fred whispered softly. "Lavender was there…Lavender Brown… but she's at St. Mungo's and then there was… Zacharius Smith… he was killed."

"If it hadn't been for Ron's brilliant strategy and Hermione's knowledge of spells we might have all died." Luna murmured. "Or Harry's bravery and the twins resourcefulness."

"And you're knowledge of the absolute random." Ron added with a little grin.

"But that's in the past." Harry murmured. "We survived and Voldemort is dead. That's what counts."

"I guess you're right." Draco murmured as he shrugged his shoulders. "I should be grateful for that bit but I can't help but wonder."

"Wonder what? We did what it took. We destroyed his Horcruxes and the man himself. And if he managed to store some of himself in Peter Pettigrew Cho and Tonks fixed that to rights." Ron growled. "Voldemort is dead. And you better bloody well believe it! You and the Ministry and all those other fools who just i>now /i> think to be paranoid about the Dark Lord." Ron pushed back Draco and Hermione gave him an apologetic smile as he pushed past.

"Ron's still a little… touchy." One of the twins grimaced.

"Voldemort attacked the Ministry and well… He killed Percy. Killing Curse." The other finished.

Draco had never cared for a Weasley before but, he swallowed hard. He could understand. His mother was dead, his father dying and he had faced death more times in the last two years then he'd ever been exposed to in his life.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He struggled to breath because really, he looked death in the face. From both ends. He couldn't bring himself to kill Dumbledore. Not because it was Dumbledore, he had enough pent up hate from the deceased man through his father's machinations. It was the power that had frightened Draco. The feel of another's life in his hands. The power hadn't felt like anything he'd ever known. It was cloying and dark and heady. It was sickly and dirty and poisonous. It hadn't seduced Draco, it had sickened him and he knew now, that if he'd killed Dumbledore that night it would have destroyed him.

Not to say that the alternative was much better. Snape had had a firm and unwavering love of Dumbedore. He had forgiven Snape and believed in him. Offered him a home and a job and stood up for him through everything. Dumbledore had been Snape's family for lack of a better explanation. He had learned a lot about Snape, why he never treated the members of the other House's a Hogwarts kindly. His mistrust of Gryffindor students. Why he left the Death Eaters. Of course it was easy to realize that one. Snape was after all, the Half-Blood Prince of Hogwarts and Lord Voldemort's vile wish to eliminate everyone that wasn't pure blood had to have rubbed him the wrong way. He probably knew long before anyone, since he was the only half blood to deflect. Draco hadn't know until Voldemort had brought his first mudblood follower before him. A young, beautiful woman that was wholly dedicated to her cause and simply killed her because her blood wasn't… pure.

It was then he realized that Voldemort wasn't the pureblood savior that his father had preached. He was a madman and a power hungry opportunist. Voldemort wanted to be the most powerful and exert his power over anyone and everyone. The mudbloods were only the first. Then would come the muggles and eventually he would have started to pick off the pure bloods. Force them into fear and make them cower before his feet. Drink his power and laugh at the bloody fools who had vowed to follow him unto death and into Hell.

"Fred and I'll make dinner." George volunteered and the two stood as if they were one.

"No tricks." Harry shook a fist at them and it had to be the most non-threatening thing Draco had seen in his life.

"We'll be good Mum, we promise." He guessed it was Fred said over his shoulder as they disappeared into the kitchen.

"Are you sure we should trust those mad geniuses?" Draco asked quietly.

"Don't worry… They're brilliant." Hermione waved a hand.

"They're O.W.L.S. don't say that." Draco pointed out.

"Well… when they joined the Order… McGonagall forced them to do what the muggles call alternative schooling. They got very high marks and actually graduated from Hogwarts." Ron murmured. "Basically, she taught them how to be more devious and build more dangerous devices."

"Now that scares me more."

Snape glared at the young man standing before him. It was one of the Weasley twins, he wasn't sure which one and beside him was the Weasley girl. He regarded them with careful eyes. After all, Dumbledore had believed in him, but he knew there had been at least two regime changes within the Order since Dumbledore's death and that it never hurt to be cautious.

"Good day, Mr. Snape." The Weasley twin spoke. "I'm George by the way."

"What are you two doing here?" The older man sat up carefully.

"We figured you'd like to know what's going on." The girl spoke. "I'm Ginny if you've been referring to us as the boy and girl Weasley."

Snape didn't confirm or deny this.

"We're going to separate you from Draco and send you to America." Ginny explained as she leaned against the wall.

"Oh… so you'll separate and then kill us?" Snape asked quietly.

"We're not going to kill you." The Weasley twin spoke. "We're doing this to protect you."

"I killed Dumbledore." Snape muttered quietly.

"This we know… but you can move beyond that. You are still a member of this Order." Ginny stated quite firmly. "You have got to tell us everything about the Death Eaters that you know."

"What difference does it make?" Snape asked melancholy. "I've done my part, my death is justifiable…. Or will you send me to Azkaban…?" A delicate eyebrow lifted.

"There will be no such thing. Dumbledore left detailed orders to Harry about what to do with you and Draco in eventual circumstances. At this point it is believed that you were under duress and spells to get you to kill Dumbledore since the Death Eaters are now after you." The Weasley twin, George explained.

"The masses are willing to believe anything." He snorted.

"It is their perceptions that will keep you out of prison and get you a job back at Hogwarts if you let it." Ginny pointed out quietly. "But first you must go to America. It will be safer to split you and Draco up and place you into separate protection as I've tried to explain."

"And who will be my… bodyguards?" He sat up farther noticing that the torture curse was truly erased from his bones.

"Lee Jordan, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom." George replied from where he stood hands in his pockets.

"Members of Dumbledore's Army." Snape sneered.

"Some of the best protection you can get. An Auror among them. An Auror will also be with Draco."

"Should I assume the Auror is Jordan?" Snape asked as he climbed out of the bed and shook out his robes.

"Neville is the Auror… like his parents." George stated quietly.

Snape snorted at that. "Then who is the Auror going with Draco."

"Harry Potter." Ginny deadpanned watching his face carefully for a reaction, but Snape betrayed none of what he was thinking.

"Why protect us?"

"Harry didn't tell us." George stated with a shrug. "He'll tell us when he's ready."

"And the other members of the Order?"

"They trust us. They know that we of all people won't betray them."

"You of all people?" Snape stared at them.

"All who are involved with protecting you and Draco are the ones that stopped Voldemort." Snape was impressed but didn't show it.

"That's rather… impressive." He conceded. "When are we leaving?"

"You're team is leaving now. Draco's is leaving tomorrow."

"Rushing us off aren't you?"

"We don't have much choice. Neville and Lee will be in to get you soon." The two Weasley's vacated the premises.

"Merlin's beard… this is going to be interesting."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The train out to the French country was quiet. Hermione and Ron sat quietly discussing tactics for guarding their new home and occasionally speaking with the occasional stewardess. There were no other identifiably wizards here, this being Muggle transportation. Two years ago this would have disturbed Draco but now it made him feel safer. Harry was asleep, mumbling something about some kid named Dudley and pig tails. He decided not to ask as he looked outside at the roving countryside. He took the time to admire his companions.

They had all grown, Hermione's hair was pulled back into a ponytail, not quite as unruly as it once was but still very curly. Ron's long red shank of hair was pushed behind his ears from where it brushed his shoulders. The freckles still numerous but he wouldn't be a Weasley without them. And then came Harry. Harry's hair wasn't as unruly as he remembered nor as long. The scar was so faint you almost couldn't see it anymore and it probably would have made his life at Hogwarts a bit easier if it had faded back then. They were all stronger now. Strong and proud and hard workers. Draco on the other hand, looked frail and thin. His cheeks were swallow and almost sunken in. His hair was too long and greasy. He tried not to think about it.

He didn't catch the name of the town that they got off in. Or the name of the young man that drove them out into the farm land. They eventually stopped at a medium sized gate and entered. Draco was slightly startled that he didn't realize when they'd passed from the muggle world back into the wizarding world it was oblivious by the sparkling villa and the Unicorns in the fields.

"Unicorns?" He thought as he sat up further, there were three, no four, a rather small one weak and sad.

"Bill rescued them not too long ago and Fleur brought the here." Hermione explained. "They're very well protected here by magic and much more but they come and go as they please."

Harry approached the door and opened it, the inside was just as beautiful as the outside. A small house elf named Grindala led them to their rooms. And Draco was surprised to note that Hermione didn't speak once of freeing house elves. Then again as Grindala showed him his room he noticed her little dress that had probably once lived on a doll. She looked happy and content, something house elves didn't usually look like.

"She's more like a nanny then an elf." Harry murmured as they settled in. "She keeps up the country house and really most of the time it might as well be her house for all that Fleur's family visits."

"I'll keep that in mind." Draco murmured as he shuffled about the room.

The others disappeared much too soon but Draco decided that he could do well without them. He put his small suitcase in the corner and headed towards the bathroom. At the very least a shower would relax him. He paused at the window and looked out to see the Unicorns again but they were gone, almost as if it had been an illusion.

Harry paused outside of the country manor and looked out into the sunset and sighed softly to himself. He couldn't believe of all the things that they'd actually found Draco Malfoy. Half the time he couldn't believe that Voldemort was dead. He crossed his arms over his chest as he stood looking out into the distance. He had done great things in his life, that much was true. He was an Auror, something he took great pride in and he was the Boy that Lived, though he could have lived with out that title. And his latest title from the press: The Chosen One or the Hogwarts Legends. Most called him a Twice Lucky Bastard in actuality and he agreed with that more then anything.

"Weird… seeing him so compliant?" Ron's voice was soft as the red haired young man came to stand and look into the sunset as well.

"About as eerie as Ivanna Lynch trying to interview Ginny about her love affair with you." Ron murmured as he turned to look at his oldest friend. "Actually as weird as you're relationship with Ginny. I still don't understand it."

"We're just friends. That's all." He smiled at Ron. "Our short dating stint doesn't affect the way we'd see each other."

"I'd say. She's the one that got you to even consider finding Draco." He sighed deeply. "This is going to get interesting isn't?"

"I'd hope so." Harry stated and stretched slowly. "If we don't get to the dining room for dinner Grindala will have our heads."

Snape above all things was a very serious man, with a very serious belief in discipline. He had many things that he seriously disliked and many things that he outright hated. One of those things was rudeness. In America there was an abundance if rudeness and stupidity and smog. Lovegood had arrange for them to go to a university in America called Mildred Greeve's Advanced Wizarding University.

They all had been given teaching jobs within the school. Longbottom taught history, Snape taught potions and DA and lastly Lovegood taught divination. They had a large house on the edge of Campus. Snape felt safe here and he felt in control. He had became know as one of the teachers that had taught the Boy Who Lived. No one knew that he had been the one to kill Dumbledore for Malfoy. No one knew any of the sordid details of the past, only what they had invented. And Snape could stay that he honestly didn't mind.

He threw himself into teaching and working to keep a low profile. He wrote no papers. He did nothing off of the campus. He worked with his students only in the library of his office with the doors open. He liked it here surprisingly. He had thought that any and all things in America would drive him to the brink of insanity. In a way, when this all ended he almost wanted to stay here.

Hermione sighed as she looked at Ginny through the communication mirror that the Weasley twins had invented for them. "You can't be serious can you?"

"I know it seems impossible but I think that the Death Eaters believe that there is someway to bring Voldemort back. Or at least create a successor." Ginny looked vastly troubled. "They think that Draco is the key. They're going to probably leave Draco alone and since most of the satellite Death Eaters have pulled out we only really have to worry about the European ones."

"This is still vastly troubling. If they were to get Draco and due whatever it is that they're attempting… The others would come back in droves just like they did when Voldemort came back. "We're in way over our heads Ginny my dear. Way over."

"Look talk to Draco to see if he knows anything about this. If not… Then I don't know what we'll do."


	8. Chapter 7

**So um... here is the belated next chapter... oh and um... ah... n/m**

**Here's the story!**

Chapter 7

Harry choked on his own breath. He was alone and it was quiet and he hurt. He opened his eyes and he found himself back inside the cell, cold and lonely. Waiting… Somewhere in these walls was Voldemort. Somewhere with in these walls was Ron and Hermione and Ginny and the Twins and… everyone else. But Harry had been separated from them. Lonely, afraid and cold. He climbed to his feet and wrapped his arms around himself. He was dressed like he was on the day when he had first found out that he of all people. Little downtrodden Harry Potter was a wizard. He had thought this magical world would only show him amazement and hope. It have given him pain.

"Hello?" He called out but the only answer was the waving echo of his voice. No one was out there, no one was going to answer.

There was the hissing of a snake…

Harry jerked up with a sharp cry ready to burst off his lips. He clutched the sheets so hard they ripped and he stared up and the soft white ceiling and murmured softly under his breath. He thought he had left that dream behind when he embarked upon the trip to find Draco. He was wrong.

"It's breakfast time dearie." Grindala called as she whisked through his room.

Harry was beginning to hate the fact that he was prone to sleeping late. He got up and dressed and walked downstairs to see the others at the table waiting for Grindala to serve up breakfast. He slumped into his seat and nodded at the 'we have to talk' look on Hermione's face.

After breakfast which passed by quietly, he and Hermione met out in the courtyard.

"You must speak with Draco." She murmured quietly. "I know we were going to give him a few days to rest, to relax but this is serious. According to Ginny they think that Draco has the ability to help them bring Voldemort back… or he was labeled as the successor. You know what this means Harry." She whispered.

"And what does it mean?" Draco asked glaring at them.

"It means what it means." Harry stated turning to face him as Hermione decided to discreetly exit.

"Oh! So I've only been running for my life when really all they want to do is make me their leader! Think with what little mind you have Potter!" Draco yelled.

"I think they want to sacrifice you! This is Voldemort we're talking about! Do you think he wouldn't have another eventually failsafe!"

"Why do you think he's so smart and all powerful!"

"He was a scared little sniveling sad excuse for a wizard! He begged for mercy when I killed him! That son of a bitch never thought he would die! I fixed that for him." Harry growled stepping closer to his former rival. "And I can fix that for you."

Draco could honestly say that before now, he'd never once been afraid of Harry Potter. Well, Hogwarts was a long way away and this was a full-fledged Auror, not some grade school mud blood and he told himself that he would do well to remember that.

"I don't need it fixed. I know my own mortality well enough." Draco sneered.

"Then learn something new." And Harry kissed him.

Harry would later lament, after he pushed Draco away and shoved off towards the small wooded area near the manor that he was too emotional for his own good. And he was sure that there were quite a few people, dead and alive willing to agree with that statement.

Draco stormed around the manor looking for any other member of the three wizardteers that he could find until he stumbled over Ron who was playing wizard chess as he thought about a new tactic for the death eaters. He sat across from the young man and growled.

"How long?" Ron looked up at him mildly distracted.

"I've been playing this particular match for about ten minutes." He responded before looking down.

"No you bloody dolt! How long has Harry—" He swallowed his words for fearing he would choke on them.

"Oh." Ron murmured and he put the chess set and notepad away. "I'd say a while. Can't really quite pinpoint things like that."

"How long?" Draco growled.

"Sometime before you left Hogwarts." Ron whispered and then paused. "So how did you find out… because if Hermione opened her mouth—"

"He kissed me that bloody bugger." Draco growled. "That's how I found out."

"So what the bloody hell are you going to do about?" Ron sounded almost smug and Draco didn't like that. Of course he also didn't have his two henchmen to back him up or Snape to protect him. He hated this feeling of utter aloneness.

"I… I don't rightly know."

"Then you might want to figure it out." Ron reached out and petted him gently on the shoulder. "Why don't you go rest a bit? It might things a bit clearer if you give yourself sometime to rest or think on it."

"Easy for you to say you red headed—" Draco didn't bother finishing his comment as he stormed out of the room.

"Well… at least this won't be dull." Ron murmured to himself as he picked up his notepad and began working on tactics again. He'd leave off the chess in case Draco stormed off to bother Hermione or Harry came 'round.

"Arabeth um Luntius." Harry murmured as he approached the lake and up appeared the warming visage of one Sirius Black looking as usual haggard and thin. Harry had discovered through his travels that while Sirius had not been killed it was little better, he was effectively trapped inside a mirror only able to appear to others through magical mirrors and lakes if summoned like a genie.

"Good morrow Harry." The older man murmured as he floated in mid air. "What do I owe the honor?"

"We… well we found Draco." He shrugged as if it were important and his godfather nodded.

"So anything of interest? Is he evil? Is he good? Or is he just confused?" Sirius asked.

"I'd go for confused. I think aside for the Death Eaters we all are rather confused at this point." He murmured as he sat on a nearby rock.

"Well out of the sum of us… someone needs a goal." Sirius murmured. "As much as I'd love to say and chat… surely you must have better things to do then talk to a dying old man trapped in a mirror?"

"I guess so." Harry murmured. "I'd just prefer not to."


	9. Chapter 8

**So... here's the next part, hope you all still like it!**

Chapter 8

Snape was on his way back to the other side of campus when he spotted them. It was Lee Jordan lying in a pool of his own blood. He dashed towards the call button and smacked it five solid times, the code for emergency. He then ran to his former student's side. Lee had obviously been hit with a rapid torture spell. It had almost shredded the flesh of one arm and probably done extensive damage. Not that Snape could tell, he wasn't a doctor. The police converged on them with an ambulance shortly after and Snape could only watch as they loaded the young man up and took him away. Fear drew up his spine and he ran, the police tailing him back to the townhouse.

Longbottom was engaged in combat with a mountain of a man, using deadly forbidden magic. Luna Lovegood was injured as well. At least he thought injured. When he got to her side, he realized that injured was merely a hope. This menace had killed the strange girl. She was breathing her last breaths when he lifted her up.

"Tell… Tell Ginny. Harry's next." She whispered before all the breath left her body.

Snape felt sick to his stomach. By now though, Longbottom and the police had disposed of the great hulking menace and he was forced to tell the young man about poor injured Lee. He was glad he didn't need words to convey what had happened to Ginny. There was no explaining how old he felt. But he knew one thing. He needed to go back to England and stop this. Running away had changed nothing.

"We're going to go back to England. We've got to stop this." He murmured and Longbottom nodded. "We got to stop the source."

Ginny Weasley didn't like the way this was going. She had stormed into the twins shop, the secret one around midnight finding them working on vast components. Her brothers had always been rather strange inventors. She paused at the door not sure she wanted to go any farther but George waved her over.

"How can I help you little Miss?" He asked as he sat back on his stool and pulled off his goggles.

"Luna Lovegood is dead, Lee Jordan is gravely injured and Neville Longbottom and Severous Snape are well on their way back here." She stated as she walked towards him with her arms crossed.

"The Death Eaters found them?" It was unusually that something like this would happen. "Ron's plans are usually really good."

"A leak in America got them. I contacted Hermione and Harry but I don't know if they're going to get the message in time."

"So what's going to happen?" Now Fred was interested. There would be time to mourn Luna later, right now what they needed was to insure that no more lives would be lost. They had learned to turn off these sad emotions, anything that wasn't productive to the cause they put to the wayside until they had the time to fully examine such feelings.

"We're going to have to figure out what to do. As soon as I can, Snape Neville and I are going to get in touch with the others and plan. If we decide to go on the offensive we'll need you." She gave them a thin smile.

"Do you really think that we'll have to?" Fred asked quietly.

"I don't think we'll have much of a choice." She murmured as she looked between the two of them. "I need to go and speak to Tonks… I'll see you all later… at the house."

Harry stared at his pixe letter from Ginny with a disturbing thought curling in his mind. Pixie letters, created by the Weasley twins respectively. Looked exactly like pixies and only opened for the person they were intended for. And the news was scarcely good. He let out a mournful sigh of Luna Lovegood. She had been a good friend through the tough years and he would miss her greatly. He walked over the manor's grounds thinking to himself when he heard screams from inside. He ran inside, pulling out his wand and could only stare at Matlida Finx who should have been at Azkaban last he check was staring down Ron and Hermione who stood in front of Draco in protection.

"Finx." He called and she turned to face him.

"Harry watch out!" Hermione called but Harry missed it knocked out by a chair from behind.

When Harry woke he was dizzy… undeniably so. He stood slowly to take in his surrounds and in the distance he saw Lily Potter sitting on a fallen tree leaning over a basin. Her long auburn hair fell across her face as she looked inside. She looked up at him through her long hair. As their eyes locked, he took in the long silver dress she wore and the bright twinkle in her eye, almost as if she held some great secret.

"My boy." She whispered, softly, sweetly beckoning. "My boy."

A rustle alerted them to a tall man with unkempt black hair walking up, dressed like a forest god. He didn't seem to see Harry but the young Potter could tell that his father had eyes only for his mother. His mother though, seemed not to notice her husband. Her smile widen, shinny pearl like teeth as she stirred the liquid in the basin.

"My boy is going to be a famous wizard one day. The Boy that Lived. The boy who spoke the tongue of treachery." Her voice sweetly intoned. "My boy."

"Lily!" His father's boisterous tone broke the spell and Harry shook his head to clean out the cobwebs. "Do you see our boy in the looking well Lily?"

"Not today James dear." She took her enchanting green eyes off his face to look up into her husband's happy face. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Maybe." James wrapped his arms around Lily and smiled down at her.

"My boy." She whispered, turning to face Harry one last time. "My wonderful little boy."

Harry jerked up into a sitting position. The man who had knocked him out was dead as well as Finx. Ron and Hermione were holding a distraught Draco who could stare at the two corpses with wide eyes.

"What happened?" He asked cracking his neck trying to rid himself of the stiffness.

"Draco called your wand and used the killing curse on him." Ron spoke as he left Draco in Hermione's care and walked over to Harry. "It was a fine bit of show. Quick on his feet he is."

"You shouldn't be commending me!" Draco shouted. "I killed them."

"It was kill or be killed." Hermione stated quietly. "You did what you had to do."

Harry could see that Draco didn't enjoy hearing those words but there was little else they could say. They'd all killed. They all had their share of nightmares and waking dreams. Immeasurable guilt and the only words there to alleviate were 'you did what you had to do' to get you through the day.

"Draco… Draco shut up! Get yourself together. Guilt you may have but you can't feel guilty if you're dead! Then you're just gone and oh fucking well! No one cares! You outta just be fucking glad you're alive!" Harry shouted standing up.

"Is that what you tell yourself Potter? Is that how you get through the day!" Draco yelled getting up in his face.

Harry slapped him hard across the face. "It's how I survive."


	10. Chapter 9

**Rhiannion: I am soo sorry about the delay for this... My computer ate it and I've been trying to reconstruct the plotline so I don't comepletely destory it...**

**Without futher ado... here is the next chapter... **

* * *

Chapter 9

London was foggy and rainy. Ginny sighed under her umbrella and walked with quick measured steps. They had chosen their meeting to be in downtown London. Downtown muggle London, where they would be at their safest. Or at the very least, it was the best they could get. Fred had procured from a friend the use of his apartment and that was where she was headed. Late due to a few issues. She walked up the steps as she was told to do so and headed for the last one on the left.

"Hello love." Fred ushered her in and she took off her wet slicker and sat her umbrella on the hanger.

"Is everyone once else here?" She asked quietly.

"Yep. Everyone here and accounted for." He turned to walk in and she paused a minute before following.

Harry nodded to her, deflecting to her and making her the leader of the meeting. She smoothed her skirt and tugged gently on her jumper before speaking.

"Sorry for being late. I had to go and see the Creevey brothers apparently they collected a few of the former Slytherins… Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle and Millicent Bulstrode." She paused and then sighed deeply. "Angela Johnson was harboring Bulstrode after she outwardly spoke out against there being ties between Slytherin glory verses Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Angela was killed."

"They've couldn't have taken Crabbe and Goyle… they were—" Draco cut himself off and crossed his arms looking away. Ginny looked him over for a few moments.

"If you have something to say Mister Malfoy I suggest you say it now." She murmured looking at him carefully.

"I have nothing to say." He refused to look at her.

"They Death Eaters have a new curse. We aren't the only ones creating new things. The curse was a combination of the killing curse and a torture curse. In normal circumstances I would advise taking the time and effort to make a counter. But we don't have that time and probably only a select few of the Death Eaters can use it."

"And if more can?" Snape asked quietly.

"We have no choice. We have to stop this at the go. If we can break the Death Eaters down at their core Tonks and McGonagall can force the Ministry to do the clean up. There's only so much that Rufus Scrimgeour can deny."

"So what do you want us to do?"

"I checked with my contacts and I'm damn sure that their current base is on the outskirts of Canterbury. We'll need a plan Ron, a damn good one. Harry and I will mount the offensive if need I'll call in back up." She looked them over. "You, Professor Snape will report to Hogwarts immediately and McGonagall will give you room and bored and you will take the first job available to you."

"I can do that." Snape murmured. "Will I be under any restrictions?"

"As far as the public knows… As far as the ministry knows you spent your time protecting Draco from Voldemort's plans."

"And what plans would these be?" Snape asking lifting a graceful eyebrow.

"With all that happening now… who cares what plans? It's believable." Ron murmured.

"But he killed Dumbledore! I was supposed to!" Draco spoke out looking around at them distressed. "How can you just pretend like none of this happened!"

"Look Draco… you have two choices. You can comply with what we know and what we are doing to save you, you sorry git. Or… you can walk out that door and see how well you fair against the Death Eaters on your own. Oh wait… Snape is under an unbreakable promise to protect you… So in effect not only would you be sentencing yourself to death but Snape as well. Consider your options Draco and consider them well you bloody coward."

"I am! And I'm tried of this! I don't want to be here anymore! I hate the wizarding world!" Draco clenched his fists together as he stood. "I… I don't know who I am anymore."

"Draco… to be honest at this point… you don't have a choice. No matter what you do the Death Eaters will come after you. They would hunt you down for whatever reason. This is your only chance to stop this. If not for yourself then those who've died. Angela Johnson, Luna Lovegood. For Lee Jordan who might not survive. For Crabbe and Goyle you're friends who they've captured. You need to be as brave as Millicent Bulstrode… you don't have a choice."

"Why are you all so willing to risk your lives for me? For Snape?"

"Well, this is all about you." Ron stated sitting back. "As far as we know Voldemort cracked some half-ass resurrection plan and you're the bloody catalyst. Maybe that's what they want you for. A sacrifice. A body for the spirit of their dark lord."

Draco shuddered at the thought. "If you go out there on your own, you won't have our protection. All of us of the Order of the Phoenix as well as the Ministry and the everyday wizard will abandon you. We are the only ones keeping the Ministry from putting a pretty hefty bounty on your heads."

"Who have you become to be able to push around the Minister?" Draco asked quietly dropping back down into his seat defeated.

"It's not like it too much." One of the twins, for the life of him Draco would never be able to tell them apart said.

"All we did was destroy a little wizard named Voldemort."

"Rufus Scrimgeour is as much of a coward as Cornelius Fudge was… Though he actually has a brain." Ginny stated as she grabbed a chair and sat. "If say… the Order took their support from the Ministry Scrimgeour would look a fool and he would fail."

"I didn't know that the Order was public knowledge." Snape stated with frank disapproval.

"It's not public knowledge." Ginny snapped. "But Scrimgeour knows of it… in a roundabout way. He doesn't know what it's called or who's apart of it. But he does know that a significant amount of the Ministry is apart of it. He actually has figured a few of us out but as far as he believes it's simply members of Dumbledore's Army from Hogwarts."

"Which means what in the long run?" Snape asked sitting forward. "The Order has worked too hard to be destroyed."

"He knows it means a lot. To Scrimgeour, Dumbledore's Army is just a group of us studying further into the defense against the Dark Arts… but he knows that obviously Harry is apart of it. Should Harry pull out his support, then many of the others will pull out including the heroes who faced Voldemort with him and the Ministry will go down not only in popularity but it will lose the trust it has within the wizarding world. Scrimgeour can not risk that." Ginny stated firmly. "Scrimgeour doesn't have the power to do much of anything. We can't stop him from doing most things… but he knows better then to interfere with the Order."

"Things have most certainly changed around here." Snape sighed. "Then again… it had to didn't it?"

"It's not all bad." The twins stated at the same time and then laughed at each other.

"Yeah! Change is good." One of them stated singularly.

"I'd have to say I agree." Neville stated quietly. Neville Longbottom was a bit of a mystery. As a student at Hogwarts he had been a nervous, quiet and often frightened child. But now, a few years and a war later he was a reserved young man. Neither Draco nor Snape could see the old deeps of fear in his soft eyes. The nervous tension that use to keep his shoulders bowed had been exchanged for the solid confidence of an Auror. Neville's strength was a strange thing to behold for those whom still had the image of the scared little child afraid of upsetting those around him.

"There's not much we can do." Neville continued speaking. "Without as I'm sure we've all agreed… going to the source. But at this point we have two and a half Aurors, two mad geniuses, a strategist and a highly talented witch. I hate to say this… but help might be warranted."

"You might be right." Ginny sighed.

"Let me get a plan together. I've got an idea to draw them to us… More specifically Draco's home."

"Why my home?" Draco's head snapped up.

"Because Lucious Malfoy is on his deathbed and he is deeply loyal to the Death Eaters. They'll turn up to pay their respects. And you will be the dutiful son going to visit your father." Ron gave him a guilty smile that was more of a grimace as he spoke. "I don't want to do this to you Draco… but it's the best chance we've got."

"Oh… don't pretend to understand because that little snort you called a brother died." Draco growled.

"Don't you talk about Percy like that!" Ron yelled but four Weasley's were standing and Draco realized that he needed to learn to control his mouth.

"Look… this is just so much to take." Draco sighed deeply. "Allow me time to think, to figure this all out."

"You have one day." Ginny stated firmly. "Ron that's the amount of time you have to plan the offensive."

"Can do." Ron mock saluted, he grabbed Hermione and stood up to walk away.


End file.
